An efficient multiview design model for real-time interactive synthesis of behavioral descriptions into layout data is described. A hybrid data structure which combines all of the design data needed throughout multiple levels of abstraction, including behavior, structure, and floorplan, into a single unified view is presented. A detailed time and space complexity analysis of the proposed design model is also given, showing that it provides fast updating capabilities for incremental design changes but does not require an exorbitant amount of memory space. These features make this design model ideal for user-controlled synthesis systems that support incremental design and redesign tasks. Furthermore, the simplicity of the data structure allows easy implementation, maintenance, and extensibility.>

This paper describes an intermediate representation for behavioral and structural designs that is based on annotated state tables. It facilitates user control of the synthesis process by allowing specification of partially design structures, and a mixture of behavior, structure and user specified bindings between the abstract behavior and the structure. The format's general model allows the capture of synchronous and asynchronous behavior, and permits hierarchical descriptions with concurrency. The format is easily translated to VHDL for simulation at each stage of the design process. It therefore complements a good simulation language (VHDL) by providing an excellent input path for behavioral and register-transfer synthesis. The format's simple and uniform syntax allows it to be used both as an intermediate exchange format for various behavioral synthesis tools, and as a graphical tabular interface for the user, thereby allowing a natural medium for automatic or manual refinement of the design.